It’s bad enough that there are Republicans at all.  It’s worse still that—inexplicably except through gerrymandering and voter suppression—they win so many elections.[1]  It’s just beyond belief that Donald Trump could win the White House in 2016 thanks merely to the antiquated Electoral College clause in the Constitution; and that he could survive repeated investigations that some how failed to turn up evidence of wrong-doing by the Wrong-Doer in Chief.[2]  But what really smokes my ham is that the whole Republican elite[3] rallied to the elected President merely because he gave them the means to achieve their long-term goals. 

Some people, scummy Republican word-smiths mostly, would argue that these goals were to put a stop to government by Executive-branch rule-writing, end the making of international commitments by executive agreements that didn’t have to be submitted to the Senate for ratification, and to pack the Federal courts for a generation to come with judges who had been curry-combed by the Federalist Society.  In their analysis, beginning in Summer 2016, mainstream Republicans[4] faced a choice between accepting or rejecting an alliance with the “MAGA true-believers.”  They could have renounced Trump and all his works and his pomps.  They could have urged Republican voters to sit out the election, even if they didn’t vote for the better candidate.[5]  Faced with the daunting challenge of having fielded two losers in races against Barack Obama and now facing the formidable Hilary Clinton, they opted for a “big tent.” 

Then they were “shocked, shocked to discover” that clowns came with the circus.  Rather than recoiling in horror at the “pure and feral rascal,” they decided to try to hem-in Orange Man with adults.  This failed of course.  Any Democrat could have told them that it would.  Once elected, he went on a tear.  The response of the Republican elite?  “It was always rationalization followed by capitulation and then full surrender.”[6]  Meanwhile, they focused on getting their judges and tax cuts

            The truth is, in my opinion,[7] that their long-term goals are to live in Washington, have a nice house, wear excellent suits, and play a lot of golf.  In the words of journalist Mark Leibovich, they are “saps and weaklings” and “careerists who capitulated to Trumpism to preserve their livelihoods.”   

Happily, a few principled Republicans redeemed themselves.[8]  At least until the danger of Trump has disappeared and their basic commitment to Evil can be acknowledged once again. 

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[1] Note to self: how do you gerrymander a Senatorial or Presidential election?  Must ask Chuck. 

[2] I tried WOTUS, WdOTUS, and WDOTUS.  Just didn’t seem to work.  Sigh. 

[3] Note to self, “Republican elite” is redundant because only Republicans have an elite.  Democratic “politicians, leaders, fixers and influence-peddlers,” along with community-organizers, activists, and spiritual advisers are all simply “doing the People’s business.”  Further note to self: edit this before posting.  In Mario Puzo, The Godfather, one of Don Corleone’s henchmen reflects that “doing the business” is a metaphor used both for murder and sex. 

[4] “Normies” as the Proud Boys et al called them. 

[5] Like all those Alabama Republicans who sat out the election between Roy Moore and Doug Jones. 

[6] Mark Leibovich, Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission (2022).  There’s an admiring review by Geoffrey Kabaservice, NYTBR, 7 August 2022.  Coincidentally, Kabaservice wrote Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party (2013). 

[7] “And I am unanimous in this”—Mrs. Slocombe (Molly Sugden) in “Are You Being Served?” many times between 1972 and 1985.    

[8] The Graceful Loser, Liz Vader, and the Maverick.